How Do You Deal With Uncertainty ? In these uncertain times, I find myself sometimes caught in the trap of “what if?”
I have never been good at change, yet I know the only constant in life is change!
“When you become comfortable with uncertainty, Infinite Possibilities open up in your life.” — Eckhart Tolle
The only constant in life is change, Heraclitus philosophized circa 500 B.C. You’d think that, in the past 2,500 years or so, we might have taken his words to heart
Our primitive brains want to keep us safe from harm, because who knows what fresh dangers any change—whether it’s a new predator in the habitat or new management at your job—might present. However change is also the only way that any species advances (adapt or die, after all)
Here are My 5 Ways I Deal with Uncertainty
1. Be with it: sit with it and the truth of it
2. Name it — Put words to your uncertain feelings
Research shows that naming negative feelings takes the sting out of them and makes us feel more in control,
3. Accept that the future is unpredictable
4. Call in Faith
“Faith means living with uncertainty —
feeling your way through life, letting your heart guide you like a lantern in the dark.” —
Dan Millman
To accept uncertainty in our lives requires a change in perspective. We yield to the intrinsic forces of life instead of oppose them.
5. Find Inspiration in poetry
Mary Oliver’s Wild Geese is one of those poems that hold in their words a wellspring of wisdom and meaning. It’s one that gives me immeasurable comfort when I’m feeling down and inspires introspection when I’m stuck in a rut. It is a poem that explores the immense pressure many people find pressing down on them in life, and asserts that they must remember to love and enjoy their life no matter what comes in the way.
Wild Geese by Mary Oliver
You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
For a hundred miles through the desert repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
Love what it loves.
Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain
Are moving across the landscapes,
Over the prairies and the deep trees,
The mountains and the rivers.
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,
Are heading home again.
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
The world offers itself to your imagination,
Calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting –
Over and over announcing your place
In the family of things.
CLICK HERE for my blog on Mental Health for Stressful Times
If you are struggling with anxiety and depression, PLEASE reach out for support to a crisis hotline HERE. People reach out to mental crisis hotlines, people reach out for all kinds of reasons including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and eating disorders
CLICK HERE for my blog on Finding Meaningful Moments in Times of Loss
Please note- this information is for educational purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose or treat. Please consult your medical provider for any questions about your specific care.
